Preview: Scarborough Jazz Festival

The full line-up for this year's Scarborough Jazz Festival has been announced, from rousing big bands to rising stars and a brand new project

The 2016 Scarborough Jazz Festival - which runs from 23 to 25 September at the Scarborough Spa - has announced its full line-up. From rousing big bands to rising stars, the 2016 festival welcomes a diverse array of artists such as Gareth Williams, Trish Clowes, Steve Waterman and Mark Nightingale.

For the fans of big bands the festival welcomes the Abstract Truth Big Band, a labour of love for saxophonists Dave and Judith O'Higgins, and the SK2 Jazz Orchestra, an 18-piece performing music originally played by the Stan Kenton Band. The five-piece Vula Viel (pictured right by Alex Bonney) and Adam Glasser's South Africa And Beyond will bring African-inspired music to the programme. The Brandon Allen Sextet plays some of the finest bebop in a set titled Charlie Parker On Dial.

The festival once again features a strong line-up of vocalists. This year Liane Carroll, Georgia Mancio (with pianist Alan Broadbent), Nicola Farnon and Vimala Rowe, the star of last year’s performance of Café Society, will all appear. Swinging modern jazz comes courtesy of pianist Gareth Williams and saxophonist Trish Clowes (pictured left), who play on the Friday evening.

Alan Barnes, renowned for his sharp off-the-cuff wit, returns as compere for the 13th consecutive year. The multi-award winning musician will play in two separate projects throughout the weekend: the Barnes/O'Higgins Sax Section and a brand new project, Waterman/Nightingale/Barnes Play Henry Mancini, which closes the Saturday evening. The trio of trumpeter Steve Waterman, trombonist Mark Nightingale and reeds player Barnes will bring their own approach to some classic Mancini tunes including Pink Panther and Days Of Wine And Roses.

Mike Gordon, Scarborough Jazz Festival's director, said “After the incredible complimentary evaluations we received for the 2015 festival I knew it was going to be a tough challenge to do better this year. But I think we might have done it with an impressive, balanced, entertaining line-up.”